Tank-filling valve



Nov. 22, 1949 w T. {ROBERTS 2,489,197

TANK FILLING VALVE Filed Oct. 15, .1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 grwwwto'k W. T. ROBERTS TANK FILLING VALVE Nov. 22, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001,. 15, 1946 I l 6J3 /0 g Patented Nov. 22, 1949 TANK-FILLING VALVE William T. Roberts, Scranton, Pa., assignor of one-half to Stephanie Wolong'iewicz, Scranton,

Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,307

4 Claims. (01. 137-104) The invention relates to a float-actuated tankfilling valve designed primarily for use in a closet flush tank, although not restricted to this use.

lhe principal object of the invention is to provide a novel construction which can be locked (by an actual lock or by a seal) against such adjustment as to obtain an abnormally high water level in the flush tank, thus preventing needless waste of water, the invention being thus particularly advantageous in apartment houses and office buildings, although of advantage also in numerous other buildings.

A further object is to provide a novel construction which permits an authorized person to vertically adjust the float to any required extent without the necessity of bending a float-carrying arm, as now customary.

A still further object is to provide a construction which will be simple and inexpensive, may be easily installed as a substitute for the usual float and arm of a common ball cock, and will be effective and durable.

Fig. l of the accompanying drawings is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a portion of a flush tank, showing in elevation a ball cock improved in accordance with the present invention, the locking casing being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. 1, except that the locking casing is removed.

Fig. 1a is an edge view of the locking casing with its hinged top swung upwardly.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, except that the cover of the flush tank is removed and the locking casing is removed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary disassembled perspective view showing the parts which are secured to the operating lever of the tank-filling valve or ball cock, and one end of the float.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing an adapter which is used if the tank-filling valve or ball cock be of the type having an unusually short actuating lever.

Preferences have been shown in the drawings and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

In the drawings above briefly described, a flush tank I is shown containing a well known tank-filling valve or ball cock 8, an overflow pipe 9, a refill tube it, and a flush valve l I with which suitable actuating means I2 is connected in the usual way. The valve 8 includes the usual vertically swingable actuating lever I3 which is ordinarily connected with a float-carrying arm, but when the improvements of the present application are installed, said arm and its float are dispensed with. If the lever l3 be relatively long as seen in Figs. 1 to 3, all parts of the present improvement will clear the valve 8 and no adapter is necessary on the free end of said lever 13. However, if the lever be unusually short, it is provided with an extension or adapter Ml (Fig. 6). As ball cocks are now customarily made, the free end of the actuating lever is formed with a threaded socket l5 extending longitudinally of the lever and opening through its free extremity. The adapter or lever extension M is provided with an integral stud IE to be tightly threaded into the socket l5 if the lever l3 be short, and the outer end of said adapter or extension is formed with a socket l5a corresponding to the socket 15. Thus, whether the lever l3 be originally short or comparatively long, it will include an accessible socket (l5 or l5a) opening through its free terminal. I utilize this socket to receive the threaded end of a clamping screw I1 which secures my improvements to the lever l3, said screw having a head l8 at its outer end which is preferably so constructed that a nail or the like may be readily engaged with it to tighten said screw.

Attached to the valve-actuating lever 13 by means of the screw I1, is a vertically elongated body l9 having a vertical slot 20 through which said screw extends, said body being tightly clamped against the free terminal 2! of said lever, by means of said screw. The body i9 is provided with an integral rigid arm 22 which extends away from the tank-filling valve 8, said arm 22 preferably having a lateral inner end 23 and a horizontally directed lateral outer end 24, said outer end 24 having a longitudinal slot 25. Contacting with the outer side of this lateral arm end 24, is one end wall 26 of a horizontally elongated float 21, said float being rather narrow horizontally and preferably having a reduced neck portion 28 to insure that it shall clear the overflow pipe 9. The float end 26 rigidly carries a stud 29 and is provided with a flat-sided boss at at the inner end of said stud. The stud extends through the slot 25 and the boss 30 is non-rotatably received in this slot, and a nut 39' and washer 32 are applied to said stud, whereby the float 21 is rigidly attached to the lateral end 24 of the arm 22 and may be horizontally adjusted as required with respect to said arm.

An L-shaped slide 33 has one of its arms 34 clamped against one edge of the body W, by means of the screw head 28, said arm 34 having an opening 35 through which the screw l1 extends. The other arm 36 of the slide 33 extends across one vertical side of the body 19 and projects beyond said body into overlapping relation with the free end portion of the lever I3. A set-screw Si is threaded through this arm 36 and is pointed to bite into the lever 53, thus holding the body l9 against turning about the screw I! as a pivot. To hold the arm 3% against outward. springing from the body i9, when the set-screw 31 is tightened, I provide said arm and body with inter-hooked flanges 38 and 39. These inter-hooked flanges also coact with the end 34 of the slide 33, in establishing a sli able connection between said slide and the body l9. This slidable connection permits vertical adjustment of the body 9 with respectto the lever l3, when the clamping screw ii is released and it is, therefore, possible to vertically adjust the member 19 to dispose the float 21 at the proper elevation to insure a water level of the desired height. After this adjustment is ob tained and the screw ii again tightened, access to said screw for further adjustment, by unauthorized persons, is prohibited due to the provision of the locking means or the like shown in Figs. 1 and la but omitted from the other views, which means is described below.

A casing id is provided to enclose the vertically elongated body it and its adjusting means, said casing including one vertical side wall ti between the screw head it and the float end 26, and two opposed side walls Q and d3 disposed at opposite sides of the body it, the side wall 63 being formed with a notch 56 which receives the lateral inner end of the arm 22. The casing 46 also includes a bottom 45 extending under the body I9, and a hinged upwardly swingable top it to extend over the upper end of said body Hi. This body is provided with an upwardly projecting hasp ll receivable in a slot 48 in the top 35 and adapted for engagement with a padlock 49, (or with a seal) (not shown). The bottom 45 is provided at its free edge with an upwardly projecting flange 5a which prevents movement of the lower end of the casing out of enclosing relation with the body l9, until said casing can be lowered. As long-as the top 66 is held in place by the lock or seal, however, the casing cannot lower and consequently, it will be held in the operative position shown in Fig. 1, barring access to the screw head 33 and hence, prohibiting vertical adjustment of the float 2'! with respect to the lever it by an unauthorized person and, therefore, preventing waste of water which might otherwise occur. When the locking means (padlock or seal) is released and the cover 46 swung upwardly as seen in Fig. la, the casing it may be lowered after it is swung laterally to disengage the notch l i from the end 23 of the arm 22, thus permitting detachment of the casin when adjustment is to be made by a person authorized to make said adjustment.

It will be noted that the invention may be manufactured at low cost and put on the market either in new closet tanks or sold independently to the public as a complete replacement unit for tanks that are already in use, thus making it about 98% universal.

The old practice of bending the float rod to adjust the amount of water in the tank is not practical. By so doing, the float often drops down too far and holds the rubber tank ball open so that it cannot operate as intended to shut off and hold water in the tank, causing water to waste in great quantities.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for attaining the desired ends, and while preflerences have been disclosed, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed. I claim:

'1. An adjustable connection for use between a valve-actuating lever and a float carried thereby, said adjustable connection comprising a vertically elongated body having one side to abut the extremity of a lever for vertical adjustment with respect thereto, a headed clamping screw extending through. said body for engagement with a threaded socket at the extremity of a lever for clamping said body in adjusted position, and a rigid float-carrying arm on said body and extending away from the other side of said body to form a lever extension.

2. A structure as specified in claim said body has a vertical slot through clamping screw extends.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1 in which said rigid arm is U-shaped and has one end integral with and projecting laterally from said body, and its other end slotted to receive a fastening for the attachment of a float.

4. An adjustable connection for use between a valve-actuating lever and a float carried thereby, said adjustable connection comprisin a vertically disposed, rectangular body having a vertical slot and a flange along one of its sides, said flanged side being adapted to slidably abut the extremity of a lever to permit vertical adjustment of said body, an L-shaped slide positioned across said flanged side of the body and having a flange to engage said flange on the body, the other arm of said L-shaped slide having an opening in alignment with said vertical slot, a headed clamping screw extendin through said aligned opening and slot for engagement with a threaded socket in a lever for clamping said body in adjusted position, a set screw in said slide for engagement with a lever to prevent said body from turning on said clamping screw, and a rigid float-carrying arm on said body,

WILLIAM T. ROBERTS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS i. in which which said Number Name Date 459,044 Moore Sept. 8, 1891 1,027,965 Young Ma 28, 191.2 1,749,500 Moyers Mar. 4, 193 1,947,081 Grady Feb. 13, 1934 

